EarlyMusicNews.org

Copies of the best and finest keyboard musical instruments existing in european and american museums

Added on: Mar 16, 2007 | Hits: 2235

“Over 5 generations, the Austrian family company has enjoyed a high level of product diversity. This ranges from traditional to modern wool fabrics as brand-name clothing labels well-known to trendy home accessories such as blankets and pillows.“

Company has been mentioned as possible supplier of fortepiano cloths.

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 02, 2011 | Hits: 1998

My interest in early keyboard instruments dates back to 1978. Since 1985 I have been making harpsichords, spinets, virginals and clavichords in my own workshop in the northwest of Austria. I have also restored a few original instruments for private owners in Austria.

My instruments are never exact copies. They are either inspired by a particular historical instrument which has in most cases been personally examined, or they are built in the style of a certain instrument-making school and period. Each of my instruments is individually handcrafted to order. They are built o­n strictly historical lines using appropriate methods and materials which would have been used by the old masters. Working o­n my own I build o­nly a small number of instruments per year. I make most of the components myself, including keyboards, action parts, tuning pins and various other items like tangents and overspun strings for clavichords. The action consists of traditional wooden jacks with no regulating screws, the tuning pins are hand-forged with flat tops and no holes but they have a light hand-filed thread.

Most recent restorations include a square piano which is said to have been in the possession of Konstanze Mozart.

Added on: Mar 19, 2007 | Hits: 2135

* Born in Salzburg / Austria * secondary school in Salzburg * chemical study (1st section) in Innsbruck * technical college for violin and guitar making in Hallstatt * education and final examination for organbuilding * Independent workshop for clavichord- and harpsichord building since 1990

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 1962

"Alastair enjoys an international reputation as a harpsichord maker, having made instruments for customers in the USA, Europe, Asia and New Zealand, as well as Australia. Recently completed commissions include instruments for Charles Darwin University, N.T., Camberwell Girls Grammar School, Melbourne, and the Melbourne Recital Hall. ...."

Visit website for more information. (Editor)

Added on: Jun 29, 2015 | Hits: 935

Carey Beebe is probably the most traveled and best known Australian harpsichord maker. After a music degree and three performance diplomas he became more interested in harpsichord construction, and trained at the prominent American workshop of D. Jacques Way. In 1982 he was made the youngest ever International Agent for Zuckermann Harpsichords Inc, but since 1999 has been working exclusively with Marc Ducornet and THE PARIS WORKSHOP.

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 3093

This site contains a list of harpsichords, spinets, virginals, clavichords and pianofortes that are for sale throughout the whole world.

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 3167

“… In recent years, I have been increasingly busy as a harpsichord technician, tuning and maintaining instruments for institutions and private clients alike.  My expertise in instrument care led me to construct my own Italian-style harpsichord based on a museum drawing, an ambitious project that I successfully concluded in November 2009. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Oct 18, 2011 | Hits: 1686

Den Ciul & Dawn Lyons -- "We build, sell, service, repair, rent, restore, tune, and transport harpsichords, clavichords, spinets, virginals, forte pianos and other historical keyboard instruments. Our shop is in Toronto, Ontario Canada, but our "territory" is much larger. With our trusty Van Strype we travel regularly to visit our clients and their instruments in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and the states of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana; New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and both Carolinas (we really like that, do call us if you are from a warm place!). We also do consulting and appraisals as well as sales and service. If you are looking for a harpsichord, or just want to find out more about them, you've come to the right place. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 2386

"Harpsichords - Fortepianos - Virginals - Clavichords

...

All my instrument designs, materials and structure are based on the surviving 17th and 18th Century Harpsichords from the French, Flemish, Italian and German schools of building. To ensure stability, I use only well seasoned timbers of yellow poplar, German spruce, Swiss pear, Italian cypress and European beech along with logs of ebony, boxwood and holly. Virtually all of the parts used in the instruments including the keyboards and jacks are handmade in my West Vancouver workshop.

My instruments are used in concert halls by many of the world's top players, ensembles and orchestras. "

Visit website for more information. (Editor)

Added on: Jun 29, 2015 | Hits: 959

"Experience, quality, passion and respect for the art

Consisting of devoted craftsmen in organ building, our company's primary goal is to offer unique and distinctive instruments.

Our professionals specialize in the manufacture, restauration and maintenance of organs and harpsichords. Our work is motivated by the rich heritage of these instruments and the importance of preserving such jewels.

Over a decade of growth

Over the years, Les Ateliers Bellavance has built a company centred around people passionate about music and preserving our collective artistic heritage.

We are a company whose success stems from the diversity of talents of its craftsmen and a common entrepreneurial spirit. ..."

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Added on: Jun 29, 2015 | Hits: 1042

"Sabathil & Son was founded in Germany in 1948, in a small town only a few miles from Mozart’s hometown of Salzburg.

Sigurd Sabathil started building harpsichords at the tender age of 9 with his father, Simon, continuing a legacy of three generations of instrument making. ...

We are located on the west coast of Canada on Bowen Island, a short drive and ferry ride from Vancouver, BC. Our workshop is surrounded by 20 acres of pristine forest, the source of the 300-year-old aged Western Red Cedar used in our soundboards. ..."

Visit website for more information. (Editor)

Added on: Jun 29, 2015 | Hits: 998

“Over the past 30 years, Yves Beaupré harpsichords have won acclaim for the beauty of their sound and appearance, as well as for their stability and mechanical reliability.

Yves Beaupré - himself a harpsichordist - draws his inspiration from the main schools of harpsichord-making. By visiting important collections of historic instruments, including those in Antwerp, Edinburgh, Paris, and Washington, he has intensively studied representative models of these schools. He respects the traditions of his craft in his choice of materials, dimensions, and acoustic properties. He is convinced, nevertheless, that understanding and interpreting tradition results in instruments that are artistically and musically superior to slavish copies. Each Yves Beaupré harpsichord is an original.

Instruments can be expertly, tastefully, and appropriately decorated by Danièle Forget."

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Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 2185

Jean Francoise Chaudeurge, French, craftsman of early music instruments, builds harpsichords in the heart of the Andes at 2,600 meters above sea level.

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Added on: Jun 30, 2015 | Hits: 1048

"I came to the mechanical trades after studying music at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. In Boston, I took a diploma in piano technology under Bill Garlick and earned guild qualification as a tuning examiner. Since 1985 I have built 100+ fortepianos after Walter, Hofmann and Graf. My list of clients includes many fine players and institutions.

After some years in Amsterdam, I came to the Czech Republic in 1995. I found that various woods grown in the Czech Republic resembled those seen in old Viennese pianos.In fact it was written in 1823 that Conrad Graf preferred to get his soundboards from the Schwarzenberg Forest in Southern Bohemia, and indeed there is still the narrow Schwarzenberg Canal leading from the headwaters of the Moldau all the way to the Danube. A man who selects wood for violin makers chooses my logs from this forest.

My workshop is well equipped. In my own work I follow the information I have collected during museum research and restoration, most particularly preserving the measurements of soundboard and hammer mechanism. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 2064

"As a specialist on Italian harpsichords and maker of other string keyboard instruments, I offer a synthesis of research on their history with the building of new instruments to meet your requirements.

You can inform yourself about my thesis and other publications on Italian instruments including stringing with Nuremberg wire."

Added on: Apr 09, 2007 | Hits: 2023

Early keyboard and part supplier. See the site for more information.

Added on: May 22, 2007 | Hits: 2115

I have been making and restoring keyboard instruments in my own shop since 1977. During this time, I have restored instruments for regional and state museums and private customers. This has allowed me first-hand access to original instruments over a long period of time, and given me the opportunity to learn from them. This process has shaped my working habits and benefited my own instruments. Except for those listed as such, the instruments from my shop are not copies. They are based on research and restoration of several old instruments. Important details such as key ratio and dip or jack weight are, however, faithfully reproduced in the light of the historic traditions. Each instrument is made entirely of solid wood using only hot (hide) glue. ...

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 2242

"I design und build exclusive, reliable portative organs in different styles, in small series or individually according to my customers’ wishes.

Due to my personal knowledge and experience with music from the middle ages, I´m able to offer absolutely reliable instruments for everyday use as well as for the stage.

Following renovations, my small, but very fine organ workshop here in Koetz, (about 80 km from Munich), is ready for new adventures.

I offer: building and sale of instruments, consultation, service, lessons, instruments on loan and much more. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 23, 2008 | Hits: 3320

“In addition to my regular building and restoration, I also offer a variety of services regarding the stringing of historical pianos, both originals and copies. These include the interpretation of existing gauge marks, the devising of entirely new stringing schedules when no marks are present and the design and fabrication of wound bass strings of all types and materials, both open and closed wrapped. I rely upon a combination of evidence drawn from original instruments, information gleaned from original piano making manuals of the 19th century, and a sophisticated computerized analysis technique. Surviving strings are faithfully copied in wrapping form and hitchpin loop. Bass core wires are always pre-stretched before wrapping until they stabilize at 80% rupture load in order to assure rapid stability of pitch once mounted and prevent in-situ stretching which can create loose wraps. Modern steel core stock is never used, and every attempt is made to find the best possible solution from among the various available “historical” wire types.“

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Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 1952

"Since 1991, the R.M.Sevillano workshop makes harpsichords, spinets and clavichords. Our instruments quality, guaranteed by the judgement of well-known specialists, is based in the blending of two principles: getting a quality sound with a light, solid and precise mechanics. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 20, 2009 | Hits: 2241

“After graduating in history-studies balanced with the practice of music in my city, Burgos, I moved to London where I trained in various workshops and in the City of London Polytechnic. In 1992 I returned to Spain and have since been working in construction and restoration of historic keyboards.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 16, 2012 | Hits: 2428

"After having worked for more than 20 years in Holland I moved in May 2007 my workshop to Spain. By now I have made almost 200 harpsichords and clavichords, some for institutions (e.g. Royal Conservatory of the Hague and Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, Holland, Royal College of Music London, U.K.) others for professional performers (e.g. Trevor Pinnock, Richard Egarr, Siebe Henstra) and amateur musicians. Many instruments can be heard on CD (e.g. G.B. Giusti 1681: J.J. Froberger/complete keyboard works/Richard Egarr/Globe GLB 6022 and Toccate Partite e Passacagli/Siebe Henstra/Ricercar RIC 167136. J. Ruckers 1638 and H. Hemsch 1754: Fr. Couperin/4 livres de pièces de clavecin/Michael Borgstede/Brillant classics 93082. J. Ruckers 1638: J. S. Bach/Sonates pour flûte/Pierre Hantaï a.o./Virgin Classics VC 5 45350 2. J. Ruckers 1624: J. S. Bach/Sonates pour flûte/Pascal Dubreuil a.o./Arion arn 268386)

I prefer to copy well documented main stream instruments from the 17th and 18th century. This choice enables me to experiment within the tradition of the time in a series of instruments and reduces the building costs as well. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 16, 2008 | Hits: 2414

Orgues et Clavecins Alain Dieu
Atelier de construction artisanale
12, rue de l'Eglise
F- 25360 VAUDRIVILLERS
tel/fax: 03 81 60 45 02
Email: wwkbank@rocketmail.com

Added on: Mar 17, 2007 | Hits: 1973

Since 1975, Laurent Soumagnac builder and restorer of harpsichords, passionate for his craft. This passion for "l'art du geste" leads to national award in 2004 "Restoration et Conservation" of the Société d'Encouragement aux Métiers d'Arts.

Laurent Soumagnac met in 1971, Hubert Bedard, Conservator of the useum Instrumental de Paris. Decisive encounter: he decided his choice of career. Hubert Bedard became his "maître" and give him a love of learning.

Under the name “L’Atelier du Clavecin”, Laurent Soumagnac creates year after year, his own models: épinette française, clavecin italien, clavecin flamand et français, with one or two keyboard configuration.

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 10, 2008 | Hits: 1816